Joke buzzer



Feb. 16, 1932. 5, s, ADAMS 1,845,735

JOKE BUZZER Filed NOV. 12, 1931 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE somzm s. mints, or :m arm JERSEY :oxnBuzzer.

Application filed November 12, 1981. Serial No. 574,580.

This invention relates in general to meand to obtain other advantagesand results chanical vibrators or buzzers, and more paras will bebrought out by the following deticularly to a vibrator or buzzerespecially scription. designed for use as a toy or in perpetratingReferring to the accompanying drawings,

a jokes. in which corresponding and like parts are One object of theinvention is to provide designated throughout the several views by anovel and improved mechanical buzzer em the same reference characters,bodying features of construction and includ- Figure 1 is a plan view ofone side of the inga spring actuated buzzer and a releasing mechanicalbuzzer embodying my invention;

to member to control operation thereof, the Figure 2is a similar view-ofthe other side; whole device being adapted to be concealed Figure 3 is atransverse vertical sectional in a human hand so that upon pressurebeview, on the line 3-3 of Figure 2; ing exerted on the releasingmember, as dur- Figure 4 1s a sectional view, on the line ing ahandclasp, the buzzer is released so as H of Figure 3;

T5 to startle the person grasping the hand in Figure 5 is a similarview, on the line 5--5 go which the buzzer is concealed. of Figure 3;

Another object is to provide such a buzzer Figure 6 is a view similar toFigure 2 with which may also be set on a horizontal suptheauxiliarycover for the releasing member port with the releasing member exposed toremoved; 1

20 receive pressure, for example in'the seat of 1g 7 is SeCtiOIlfil V011 the n:

a chair, so that when a person sits in the 7-7 of Figure 3, and chair thbuzzer i l d, Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the Other objectsare to provide a device of manner of concealing the buzzer in ahuman thecharacter described consisting of a cashand.

a5 ing having a spring actuated buzzer therein, speclfically describingthe illustrated ema releasing member for controlling operation bodlmentof the invention, the buzzer inof the buzzer that has a portionprojecting cludes a main casing comprising two relafrom one side of thecasing to receive prestively rotatable cup-shaped sections 1 and 2 sure,and a looped handle connected to the having their flanges in telescopingrelation,

an opposite side of the casing to receive the as clearly shown inFigures 3 and 4. These finger of the human hand; to provide suchsections are held together by a cdaxial'rivet a device wherein thecasing comprises two or stud shaft 3. Upon one of the casingsecrelatively rotatable sections, relative rotation tions, in thepresent instance the section 2, of which serves to wind the spring foractuis mounted a spring carrier 4, shown as se- 35 ating the buzzer,and. wherein said looped cured to the casing section 2 by ears 5 passingso handle also'servcs as a grip for relatively through and clinched inopenings 6 in the rotating the casing sections; to provide a casingsection. Aspiral spr1ng7 has one end mechanical buzzer embodying a noveland fixedly connected to the spring carrier, as at improvedconstruction, combination and ar- 8, and its other end secured at 9 tothe spinrtu rangement oi relatively rotatable casing secdie 10 of atoothed wheel 11 journaled on the tions, a spiral spring, a buzzermember, a re; stud shaft 3. leasing member for controlling operation ofThe toothed wheel 11 is arranged between said buzzer, and a detent forpreventing backthe spring carrier 4 and the other casing secvvardrotation of the rotatable casing section 1, and cooperates with a buzzerlever 12 tione while the spiral spring is being Wound; pivutaliy mountedbetween its ends at 13 on W the casing section 1 and having two teeth 14to engage the teeth of the wheel 11, so that upon rotation of the wheelthe buzzer lever is oscillated. This buzzer lever is normally heldagainst oscillation and pressed against the toothed wheel 11 to preventrotation thereof under the influence of the spring 7, by a releasing,member that is in the form of a lever 15 pivotally mounted intermediateits ends at 16 on the outside of the casing sectionl, and having alateral arm 17 projecting into the main casing through an opening 18 toengage the buzzer lever. The releasing member 15 is normally influencedby a spring 19 to hold the buzzer lever 12 against oscillation, as shownin the drawings.

On the outside of the casing section 1 is mounted an auxiliary casing 20to enclose the releasing member 15, said auxiliary casing being securedto. the main casing by lugs 21 stamped up from the main casing andclinched over the edges of the auxiliary casing, as clearly shown inFigure 2 of the drawings. The auxiliary casing has an opening 22substantially coaxial with the main casing through which projects aportion 23 of the releasing member. so that said projecting portion isexposed to receive pressure for actuating the releasing member. Asshown, this projecting portion 23 is approximately "conical. The casingsection 2 has pivotally mounted thereon at the side opposite theprojecting portion 23 of the releasing member, a looped handle 24 whichmay project angularly from the casing. as shown in Figure 3, or lieparallel with said side of the casing and in contact therewith, as shownin Figures 1 and 2. shown, the looped handle includes a single length ofwire substantially U-shaped and having the ends of its arms 25 bentinwardly into axial alinement with each other and slipped beneath loops26 stamped upwardly from the casing section 2.

With this construction, it will be observed that upon relative rotationof the two casing sections 1 and 2, the spiral spring 7 will be wound,and to prevent backward relative rotation of the casing sections duringwinding of the spring, a spring detent 27 is secured to the springcarrier to engage notches 28 in the flange of the casing section 1.

In use of the device. after the spiral spring 7 has been wound. thefinger of a human hand may be slipped through the looped handle 24 so asto conceal the casing in the palm of the hand with the projectingportion 23 of the releasing member exposed. When the hand carrying thebuzzer is proffered to another for a handshake, pressure during thehandclasp actuates the releasing member 15 so that the buzzer lever 12is oscillated by rotation of the toothed wheel 11 as the spring 7unwinds. This causes a buzzing sound and a vibration which is startlingto the person taking the profiered hand. If desired, the

handle 24 may be arranged flatwise against the casing, as shown inFigure 1, and the casing may be then set on a horizontal support, forexample the seat of a chair, with the projecting portion 23 of thereleasing member exposed.

It will be observed that the handle 24 also facilitates relativerotation of the casing sections, and that the auxiliary casing 20provides an additional grip forrelatively rotating the casing sections.It will also be ob served that it is impossible to overwind the spring7-, since vwhen a predetermined tension has been produced in the spring,the toothed wheel will be directly rotated under the force relativelyrotating the casing sections. The auxiliary casing is narrow and extendsdiametrically of the main casing so as to form in eiieet a wing or knob.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the details ofconstruction of the buzzer may be modified and changed without departingfrom the spirit or scope of the invention, and therefore I do not wishto be understood as limiting myself exceptas required by the followingclaims when construed in the light ofthe prior art.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. A joke buzzer comprising a casing formed of two relatively rotatablesections, a spring carrier connected to one of said sections to rotatetherewith, a spiral spring having one end connected to saidcarrier, atoothed wheel connected to the other end of said spring, a buzzer leverpivoted on the other casing section and having teeth engaged by saidtoothed wheel so that rotation of the latter oscillates said buzzerlever, a release member mounted on the second-mentioned casing sectionand releasably engaging said buzzer lever, a spring to hold the releasemember in engagement with said buzzer lever so that said spiral springcan be wound by relatively rotating said casing sections, and a detentfor preventing backward rotation of said casing sections while saidspiral spring is being wound, said releasing member having a portionprojecting from said casing so that upon pressure being exerted uponsaid pro ecting portion of the releasin member the buzzer lever isreleased for oscil ation.

2. A joke buzzer comprising a casing formed of two relatively rotatablesections, a spring carrier connected to one of said sections to rotatetherewith, a spiral spring having one end connected to said carrier, atoothed wheel connected to the other end of said spring, a buzzer leverpivoted on the other casing section and having teeth engaged by saidtoothed wheel so that rotation of the latter oscillates said buzzerlever, a release member mounted on the second-mentioned casing sectionand releasably engaging said buzzer lever, a spring to hold the releasemember in engagement with said buzzer lever so that said spiral springcan be Wound by relatively rotating said casing sections, said releasingmember having a portion projecting from one side of said casing so thatupon pressure being exerted upon said projecting portion of thereleasing member the buzzer is released for oscillation, a detent forpreventing backward rotation of said casing sections while the spring isbeing wound, and a handle loop pivotally mounted on the side of saidcasing opposite from said projection portion of the releasin member.

3, A joke buzzer comprising a casing formed of two relatively rotatablesections, a spring mounted in said casing and having one end connectedto one section, a toothe wheel connected to the other end of said springto be rotated thereby, a buzzer member engaging and actuated by saidwheel upon rotation of the latter, a releasing member for releasablyholding said buzzer member against movement, so that said spring iswound by relatively rotating said casing sections, and a detent toprevent backward rotation of said casing sections during winding of thespring, said releasing member havlng a portion projecting from saidcasing so that upon pressure being exerted upon said pro- 'ectingportion of the releasing member the uzzer is released to the action ofthe toothed wheel.

4. A joke buzzer comprising a casing having a spring actuated buzzertherein, a releasing member for controlling operation of said buzzerhaving a portion projecting from one side of said casing so that uponpressure being exerted on said projecting portion the buzzer is releasedfor operation, and a looped handle connected to the opposite side ofsaid casing to receive a finger of a human hand whereby the casing canbe conveniently held in the palm of the hand with said pro ectingportion of said releasing member exposed.

5. A joke buzzer comprising a casing having two opposite sides one ofwhich is approximately flat, a spring actuated buzzer in said casing, areleasing member for controlling operation of said buzzer and having aportion projecting from the other side of said casing to receivepressure for releasing said buzzer for operation, and a handle looppivoted upon the first-mentioned side of the casing to project angularlytherefrom or to lie substantially parallel thereto.

6. A joke buzzer comprising a main cas ing having a spring actuatedtooth wheel and a buzzer member operated thereby, a releasing member onthe exterior of said main casing and having a portion entering the maincasing to releasably engage said buzzer member and control itsoperation, an auxiliary casing for said releasing lever mounted on saidside of said main casing, said auxiliary casing having an openingconcentric with of sections relatively movable for energizing saidmechanism.

8. As an article of manufacture, a toy buzzer adapted for joke purposescomprising a casing having one side formed as a substantially flat basefor supporting the casing and vibratory mechanism associated therewithincluding vibratory means at another side of said casing and a releasingmember projecting from said other side of the casing arranged to beuppermost when the buzzer is supported on said fiat base, and means inthecasing for actuating said vibratory means.

9. As an article of manufacture, a toy buzzer adapted for joke purposescomprising a casing having one side formed as a substantially flat basefor supporting the casing and vibratory mechanism associated therewithincluding a vibratory element at another side of said casing, and meansin the casing for actuating said element, said casing including aplurality of sections relatively movable for energizing saidactuatingmeans.

10. As an article of manufacture, a toy buzzer adapted for joke purposescomprising a casing having one side formed as a substantially flat basefor supporting the casing and vibratory mechanism associated therewithincluding a vibratory element at another side of said casing, and meansin the casing for actuating said element, said fiat base of the casinghaving means formed for connecting it to a finger of a persons handwhereby the buzzer my be supported by said finger.

v 11. As an article of manufacture, a toy buzzer adapted for jokepurposes comprising a casing having one side formed as a substantiallyflat base for supporting the casing and vibratory mechanism associatedtherewith including a vibrator element at another side of said casing,an means in the casing for actuating said element, said flat base of thecasing having means formed for connecting it to a finger of a personshand whereby the buzzer may be supported by said finger and being alsomovable into a flat position along side said base whereby the buzzer maybe supported by having the base rest on a suitable surfac 12. As anarticle of manufacture, a toy buzzer adapted for joke purposescomprising a casing having one side formed as a substantially flat basefor supporting the casing and vibratory mechanism associated therewithincluding a vibratory element at another side of said casing, and meansin the casing for actuating said element, said flat base of the casinghaving means formed for connecting it to a finger of a persons handwhereby the buzzer, may be supported by said finger and including asupporting strap movable into a planemlengside'said base when the buzzeris to be supported by its base resting on a suitable surface. 1

SOREN S. ADAMS.

